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Matthew Pilkington
Rev. Matthew Pilkington (1725-1733 fl.) was an Irish poet and cleric. Life Pilkington, the son of a poet, was described as a "penniless Irish parson" at the time of his marriage to Laetitia Van Lewen (1712-1750), also a poet. Around 1730 he was appointed chaplain to Lady Charlemont. Shortly after this event, about 1730, Pilkington and his wife pushed themselves into Swift's favour. Swift was then in residence at Dublin as dean of St. Patrick's, and he seems to have been taken by Lætitia's wit, docility, and freedom from affectation.Seccombe, 295. For a time she was undoubtedly a great favourite of Swift, and her sprightly reminiscences, in spite of the disdain with which they are treated by some of Swift's biographers, constitute one of the chief sources of authority as to Swift's later years.Seccombe, 296. In the same way as his wife (than whom he had far less wit), Pilkington seems to have won Swift's good graces by his seeming insensibility to the dean's occasional fits of ferocity. Thus, when Swift emptied the dregs of a bottle of claret and told Pilkington to drink them, as he "always kept a poor parson to drink his foul wine for him," Pilkington submissively raised his glass, and would have drunk the contents had not Swift prevented him.Seccombe, 297. Matthew Pilkington had published Poems on Several Occasions (8vo) in Dublin in 1730. A second edition, revised by Swift, and containing some additional pieces, appeared in London in 1731, with commendatory verses by William Dunkin. Swift wrote, in July 1732, to his old friend, Alderman Barber (then lord-mayor elect), soliciting the post of chaplain to the lord-mayor for his protégé. As soon as that request was complied with, Swift wrote strongly on his behalf to Pope: "The young man," he wrote of Pilkington, "is the most hopeful we have. A book of his poems was printed in London. Dr. Delany is one of his patrons. He is married, and had children, and makes about 100l. a year, on which he lives decently. The utmost stretch of his ambition is to gather up as much superfluous money as will give him a sight of you and half an hour of your presence; after which he will return home in full satisfaction, and in proper time die in peace." On the strength of this exordium, Pope asked Pilkington to stay with him at Twickenham for a fortnight, but subsequently had occasion, in conjunction with Bolingbroke and Barber, to remonstrate with Swift upon his lack of discrimination in recommending such an "intolerable coxcomb." In 1732 Swift presented to Mrs. Barber his Verses to a Lady who desired to be addressed in the Heroic Style, which the lady conveyed to the press through the medium of Pilkington. When, however, some expressions in the poem provoked the wrath of Walpole, Pilkington had no scruple in betraying both Barber, the printer, and Benjamin Motte, the bookseller. This completely opened Swift's eyes as to the real character of his protégé, whom he subsequently described to Barber as the falsest rogue in the kingdom. This view of his character is confirmed by Pilkington's treatment of his wife, even if we do not accept the conjecture that he forged some offensive letters written to Queen Caroline from Dublin in 1731, and purporting to be from Swift. The latter certainly came to regard Pilkington as the author of these letters, which prejudiced him greatly in the eyes of the court, and which he warmly but uselessly disclaimed. In 1733 Pilkington inveigled Motte into issuing a counterfeit Life and Character of Dean Swift, written by himself, in verse, which was a further source of annoyance both to Swift and his publisher. During his year of office as chaplain to the lord mayor, Pilkington managed to extort more from his master and the aldermen than any of his predecessors; but when his devious courses estranged influential patrons, such as Swift and Barber, he fell into evil habits and obscurity, from which he only emerged to write a few tirades against his wife. After his separation from his wife his son, John Carteret Pilkington, espoused the cause of his mother. Nothing further appears to be known about Matthew, who must be carefully distinguished from the author of the Dictionary of Painters, and from Matthew Pilkington, prebendary of Lichfield, with both of whom he has been confused. Publications Poetry *''The Progress of Musick in Ireland: A poem; together with, Pastoral elegy on the death of a lady's canary-bird; and A poem on Mr. Pope's works, written to the same lady''. Dublin: Pressick Rider / Thomas Harbin, 1725. *''An Ode to be Performed at the Castle of Dublin''. Dublin: S. Powell, for George Ewing, 1728. *''Poems on Several Occasions. Dublin: George Faulkner, 1730. Non-fiction *''Election of a Lord Mayor: A sermon. London: Benjamin Motte, 1733. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Matthew Pilkington, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Sep. 5, 2016. See also *List of Irish poets References * . Wikisource, Web, Sep. 5, 2016. Notes External links ;About *Matthew Pilkington at Ricorso * Pilkington, Laetitia Category:18th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Irish poets Category:Poets